* This article is republished from the WIT (currently World in You) website (January 13, 2015).

Our first Learning Journey took place in Matsushima, Miyagi, in 2014 summer.

WIT investees and Partners spent two nights and three days together to know with each other, and gained insights and connections to move the investees’ work forward.

Day 1. We visited Tohoku Roku Farm ATALATA, farm-attached restaurants in Miyagi. After learning about their work to promote value-added agriculture and job creation for the disabled, we headed for Matsushima.

We spent the first day on appreciating each other’s diversity by using active and empathetic listening skills. Some of the exercises were taken from U Theory by Otto Scharmer (Senior Lecturer, MIT) and ORSC™ (Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching), which Mio (WIT Managing Director) learned in the US.

Of course, Tohoku’s delicious food and Sake completed our day!

Day 2 began with refreshing ourselves with body exercise led by Madre Bonita’s Maco Yoshioka. Body and mind are surely connected 🙂

After the exercise, we dove into each investee’s business plans. Divided into small groups, investees, Partner, and WIT board draw best and worst scenarios of the next five years. After the presentation, we moved to exchange time of resources and wisdom. Elevator pitch practice at the end was a lot of fun!

In the evening, we had a guest speaker, Shinichi Chiba from Shokado Sweets Company, and listened to his impressive business and community involvement activities.

On Day 3, Investees discussed how to use WIT funding effectively for social impact in Tohoku. By sharing challenges among the investees, we came up with innovative idea of using the funding.

Here are some of the comments from participants!

“I was amazed by the hard work of social entrepreneurs. After meeting with many shining adults, I confirmed that Japan’s future is bright.” – Volunteer

“Both investees and WIT Partners are wonderful people.” “Each of us is talented to form a new company as a team. We need to share our knowledge and talents. I am really glad to be here. I hope that we will create a model for international relief and rebuild network for the world.” – Partners

“I have not met my role model so far. During the learning journey, I spoke with role model leaders face to face, and was able to clarify what I want to be.” – Investee

“I have not seen such an open and safe space for everyone to talk. It was a very novel approach that investees discussed the use of funding together.” – Guest

Our second Journey will be on January 31st and February 1st, 2015. Excited to get together again and learn from each other!

Thank you so much for those who supported and/or participated in the Learning Journey!

Give2Asia
WIT投資先 / WIT investees
クリスティーナ・アメージャンさん、一橋大学 / Christina Ahmedjian
伊藤澄子さん、WIT理事 / Sumiko Ito
井上英之さん、WIT理事 / Hideyuki Inoue
井上有紀さん、一般社団法人イノラボ・インターナショナル / Yuki Inoue
木下万暁さん、WIT理事 / Mangyo Kinoshita
工藤瑞穂さん、HaTiDORi / Mizuho Kudo
笹原優子さん、株式会社NTTドコモ / Yuko Sasahara
杉本尚美さん、同志社大学 / Naomi Sugimoto
鷹野秀征さん、JEBDA / Hidemasa Takano
田代岳さん、株式会社ADVANCE / Gaku Tashiro
千葉伸一さん、松華堂菓子店 / Shinichi Chiba
西村勇也さん、WITアドバイザー、NPO法人ミラツク / Yuya Nishimura
野本仁さん / Hitoshi Nomoto
(順不同)

文責 山本未生 / Written by Mio Yamamoto

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World in You cultivates leaders, organizations, and communities that co-create across boundaries to better society. We have provided leadership development programs to 200+ mission-driven organizations, 500+ leaders from the business and social sectors, and students.
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